Calorie

unit of energy (4.184 J)

The calorie is a pre-SI unit of energy, synonymous with heat.[source?] A calorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water (specific heat capacity = 4,184 J kg-1 K-1)[1] by one K (= °C + 273).[2]

Applications

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On food labels, calorie refers to kilocalories (kilo- = 103), which equals to 1000 calories. As such, the word calorie is usually written with a capital C.[source?]

In layman terms, calories denote energy consumption. Think of them like the gasoline in the car. But unlike the car, the body stores the excess gas for long. The reaction to the calorie depends on which macronutrient did that calorie came from.[dubious ][3][4][better source needed]

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References

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  1. "Specific Heat Capacity and Water | U.S. Geological Survey". U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). June 6, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  2. "Kelvin (K) | Definition & Facts". Britannica. October 21, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  3. Pareek, Rahul C. (2 July 2020). "Understanding the basics of calories". The Calorie Concious. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  4. "How many calories does a person need per day?". Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-02-07.